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Re: [Killietalk] coir as a peat moss substitute ? [second posting]
Coco fiber seems to be increasingly used as a "litter" material for reptile
cages as well. I recently purchased a 3 pack of bricks at That fish Place
for $4.99 - it was in the reptile supply area. I have not yet had occasion
to use it though, so I can not comment on its usefulness. I still have a
brick left from several years ago when I purchased some at an AKA convention
and was going to compare the two sources.
Joel
------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Fri, 30 May 2008 09:57:51 -0400
From: Harry Faustmann <hwfaustmann at optonline_net>
Subject: Re: [Killietalk] coir as a peat moss substitute ? [second
posting]
To: killifish discussion list <killietalk at aka_org>
Hello all. I have been using Coco fiber (Coir) as a substitute for Peat Moss
for many years now. After placing a "brick" of compressed CF into a bucket
of hot or even warm water,and allowed to soften overnight(just my choice) I
net out the fiber,rinse under tap water, and place into spawning
containers(bowls, saucers,or the entire bottom of a breeding tank).When
properly rinsed, the CF does not continue to leech into the tank water as
Peat Moss will always continue to do so. Clear water breeding set-ups are
easier and healthier to maintain. When harvesting the CF containing the eggs
that have been laid, I pour the containers contents into a net, gently
squeeze out most of the water, and place the clump of CF onto newspaper to
dry for several hours. When I used Peat Moss, this meant drying out
overnight (about 12 hours). CF dries much faster, so several hours seems to
be enough, until the CF has dried to the consistency of "damp pipe
tobacco"(remember that one?)See Roger Langton's suggested scale for proper
Peat Moss dampness. It works! After drying, I place the CF into plastic
baggies(my choice again) ,label, place into a box (old styro) and place onto
a high, dark, fishroom shelf. My house furnace and hot water heater are in
my fishroom so temperatures never fall below 72F and can flucuate to higher
temps above the furnace chimney exhaust during winter heating. This seems to
work for me as I do well hatching Nothos and SAA's.
Obtaining "bricks" of CF were once inexpensive at 50 cents a brick!
However, resources have changed and if buying at a pet store, can be as much
as $5.99 a brick! Needless to say, I have found that buying a case of CF
bricks from a Hydroponic supply, will reduce the cost to less then $2 a
brick.Other places list for less, but shipping can be expensive, so local
pickup works for me.
Just my THREE cents! (Inflation!)
Harry W. Faustmann (Recovering from a great AKA Convention in Syracuse).
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bruce J. Turner, Dept. Biol. Sci., VPISU, Blacksburg, VA 240"
<fishgen at vt_edu>
To: "killifish discussion list" <killietalk at aka_org>
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 12:26 AM
Subject: [Killietalk] coir as a peat moss substitute ? [second posting]
> Peat moss is considered as a "non-renewable" resource, and its use in
> gardening
> and agricultural applications continues to be actively discouraged by
> environmental activists and other people who are part of the "organic"
> movement
> or consider themselves "green." Whatever the merits of the case, it is not
> necessarily far-fetched to prepare for a time when peat moss may become
> hard
> to get. If its use in gardening becomes highly unpopular, then, once
> extant
> stocks are exhausted, it is unlikely that it will be available to
> killifish
> hobbyists, for we obviously do not comprise a significant portion of the
> market.
>
> This is why I am interested in looking at coir as a potential substitute.
> I
> would appreciate hearing from anyone, offlist or onlist, who has any
> experience
> in using it as a killifish breeding medium.
>
>
> Bruce J. Turner
> Dept. Biol. Sci.
> VIRGINIA TECH
> Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
>
>
>
> "Truth, she lives in a distant land
> of snow, and ice... And burning sand."
>
> "Daily beatings will continue
> until morale improves..."
> Join the AKA at http://www.aka.org/aka/modules/content/index.php?id=9.
> Archives are at http://fins.actwin.com/killietalk/
> Modify your subscription at
> http://www.actwin.com/mailman/listinfo.cgi/killietalk
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